Giles Thomas, Author at Acquire Convert

Live Chat Converts Leads Into Sales

79% of businesses say that offering live chat has had a positive effect on their sales, revenue, and customer loyalty. Unfortunately, as the popularity of chat rises, the number of managed live chat service companies is increasing at a rapid rate. Big business is rushing in to cash in on the growing and lucrative customer service trend. Do a Google search for “24/7 managed live chat service,” and see for yourself. You’ll return numerous pages of chat software products and customer service solutions.

Researching through all of the choices can feel like a daunting task. How will you know which chat service is right for you? Not to worry. We’ve compiled a list of the top 24/7 managed live chat service companies and ranked them based on quality of service, support, features and affordability.

HelpSquad – #1

For more than one reason, HelpSquad is ranked #1. First off, they outperform their competitors in service and support. They also have more features than any other 24/7 managed live chat service software on our list. Most importantly, HelpSquad gives you the most for your money.

1. HelpSquad Service

Your 24/7 managed live chat service subscription with HelpSquad will include a staff of top talent and some of the most valuable services in the industry. Their agents are thoroughly vetted and trained. The HelpSquad team has also won numerous awards in the LiveHelpNow Challenge. In addition, they have even developed a Live Chat Challenge game test that they use to pre-qualify live chat candidates (the game is also free for anyone to try).

Not only will their professionally trained live chat agents provide 24/7 coverage for your website, but every HelpSquad plan also includes lead reporting, chat transcripts, chat interaction data, in-chat surveys and results, peak traffic time insights, and more. HelpSquad will even conduct a monthly review of your website upon request. Then, they’ll offer optimization suggestions to generate more leads.

A majority of the live chat competition stops at securing a lead. Most 24/7 managed live chat services provide nothing more. This is an area where HelpSquad truly stands out. Their agents will learn your business, assist you in creating FAQ pages, and even secure online orders and schedule appointments. HelpSquad’s staff will also continue to maintain and update each clients’ knowledge base, ensuring that all information provided to your customers is up-to-date. Even more exciting is that you will have full ownership over any of the content HelpSquad creates.

**2. *Additional Services**

Recently, HelpSquad has added to its repertoire. They now offer landing page development, AdWords and Facebook campaign optimization and conversion tracking services. (Note: Conversion tracking will allow users to track the amount of orders submitted and define how many of those transactions were the result of live chat assistance).

3. HelpSquad Support

Personalization should be a major focus for live chat service providers. When you sign on with HelpSquad, your customers won’t be speaking to monotone sounding agents. You and your staff won’t have to experience dealing with mediocre support either. Furthermore, your business will be assigned an individual account manager and a team leader. These HelpSquaders will remain your staff’s devoted point of contact. HelpSquad believes in an open dialog approach that will allow your account manager to directly train your assigned agents and ensure the highest level of quality control.

4. HelpSquad Features

The most substantial technical difference between HelpSquad and its competitors is that HelpSquad owns their own live chat software called LiveHelpNow. None of their rivals have this advantage. Because HelpSquad does not use third party software, they have the opportunity to adjust their platform at any time. Their developers are constantly releasing updates and designing new features to ensure that their clients and their clients’ customers have the best possible experience. HelpSquad’s agents also have access to a diverse set of innovative tools. You can learn more about their offerings by visiting the LiveHelpNow website. For this article, we have highlighted a few of the most prominent features below.

Overflow Chat: If you prefer to have stricter control over customer engagements, you will have the option of answering your company’s chats via HelpSquad’s software. You can even choose to limit the HelpSquad team’s participation to overflow chats or off-hours chats.

SMS Chat: The text (or SMS chat) feature will allow your customers to text HelpSquad agents from their phones as opposed to communicating through the chat window. Though many 24/7 managed live chat service companies have this feature, HelpSquad is the only service that is capable of using your existing business phone number to text your customers. Why? HelpSquad has contracts with leading mobile providers that allow them to link your business number with SMS chat.

CRM Integrations: HelpSquad’s live chat software can integrate with any CRM in the industry.

Whisper Mode: You will be given access to the HelpSquad operator console to monitor conversations in real-time. If needed, you will be able to send invisible, private messages to guide on-duty agents.

Facebook and Email Capabilities: HelpSquad’s software also gives agents the ability to chat with customers via Facebook message and email.

Additional Features: Automatic or Manual Chat Tagging, Intelligent Visitor Triggers, Secure Forms (HIPPA and PCI Compliant), Language Translation (Agents can speak any language instantly), Enterprise Level Reporting, Pre- and Post-Chat Surveys, Slack Integration

5. HelpSquad Pricing

Starting at $95/month

HelpSquad has 4 different sales and support plans available. These plans are tiered to assimilate with fledgling startups, booming small-to-midsize businesses, and everything in between. Every plan includes their #1 rated chat software, a personal account manager, 24/7 live chat coverage, and FAQ creation and copywriting.

Live Chat Monitoring – #2

1. Live Chat Monitoring Services

Australian owned company, Live Chat Monitoring (LCM), has its headquarters in South Melbourne, and subsidiary offices in the US and the UK. Their team is made up of skilled customer service agents who receive continual training in customer behavior and lead capture.

Their operators are online 24/7 and will be ready to proactively greet your website visitors. Long after your staff has left for the day, LCM’s live chat representatives will be busy acquiring new leads, so you never miss out on a sale again.

2. Live Chat Monitoring Support

LCM’s purpose is to provide basic customer service and lead capture functions. However, their team will never go as far as to engage in technical discussions about your industry or your sales process. If they receive an inquiry that’s off the pre-written script, your company’s staff will be alerted and given the lead’s contact information immediately.

Your brand will have an assigned account manager that will serve as your company’s point of communication at LCM. In addition, LCM’s staff will update your company information for you at anytime. Are you offering new products and services? Do you have a special event coming up? Are you changing locations or extending your business hours? No problem! Just let them know, and they will update your knowledge-base as soon as possible.

3. Live Chat Monitoring Features

Monthly Reporting: Live Chat Monitoring will provide you with monthly reports illustrating how your web pages are performing. You will gain insight into lead capture, average response times, growth areas, and which pages are performing the best.
Customized Scripting: You will be the one to determine what Live Chat Monitoring can and can’t say about your business. Before they begin working with you, their team will send you a detailed questionnaire that covers everything they need to know about your company. When your website chat goes live, they will already know what kinds of questions you want them to answer for you, including location(s), opening hours, what your business does, FAQs, etc.
SMS Chat: Live Chat Monitoring will allow your website visitors to chat with you via text while on the go. LCM will issue your company a unique cell number that your customers can use to communicate with you. They also recommend incorporating your new text-to-chat number into your advertising to build consumer awareness. However, according to their website, this is a feature may incur additional charges.
Proactive Invitation: With Live Chat Monitoring, you implement proactive chat messages based on which page your visitor is browsing on. This will show your customers that you are waiting in the wings just to serve them.

4. Live Chat Monitoring Pricing

Starting at $135/month

Live Chat Monitoring has 5 different plans available for purchase. Pricing ranges from $135/month to $1,200/month. Some features may incur additional charges, as mentioned above with the SMS chat feature.

Chat Metrics – #3

1. Chat Metrics Service

Also based in Australia, Chat Metrics provides 24/7 personal chat interactions for your website visitors. Chat Metrics views its team as an extension of yours. Their mission is to lower your bounce rate, supply visitor support and increase your ROI. Their staff will convert your business page’s traffic into warm leads. Your company will then have the opportunity to turn those leads into paying clients.

Unfortunately, Chat Metrics would not give full details regarding the type of chat software they use. Their agents would only say that they “largely use” their own proprietary software, which implies that they may have their own platform that they supplement with outsourced software.

2. Chat Metrics Support

Chat Metrics will leverage their platform to get the most out of your marketing efforts and work to give your customers a genuine experience. Each Chat Metrics client is assigned to a dedicated success manager. Your success manager will be your go-to person on your live chat journey. They will lead a research team whose purpose will be to prepare a comprehensive FAQ document on your business. Before any FAQ’s are officially deployed, they will be sent to your team for approval.

In addition, the Chat Metrics staff will prepare your chat dashboard, which is where your leads will be delivered. An email notification will be sent to alert you as they become available. Or if you prefer, they will complete any automations required to integrate with your existing CRM and applications.

3. Chat Metrics Features

A/B Testing: The Chat Metrics team will routinely conduct specialized testing to ensure that your conversions are on the rise. Data measurements will also be taken to monitor increases in your ROI.

Google Analytics: Wouldn’t it be great to receive insights on which marketing campaigns are converting into chats and then turning into sales? Chat Metrics thinks so, too. That’s why they have reporting tools that work in conjunction with Google Analytics.

Integration Automation: Chat Metrics boasts 1,000+ integrations. So, chances are that you can use their chat software with your other favorite softwares and applications. If you have in-house software, Chat Metrics can work with custom-built platforms as well!
Chat History: The data and insights you receive won’t stop with just leads. You will have a detailed view of each customer interaction, including chat histories and transcripts. You won’t ever have to guess again! You’ll know exactly what your customers are looking for when they browse your website.
Additional Features: Goal Conversions, White Label, Customized Reporting

4. Chat Metrics Pricing

Chat Metrics charges per qualified lead

Pricing for a Chat Metrics plan begins at $10/per qualified lead. They do not charge for the interactions themselves. They only charge for chats that result in qualified leads. Chat Metrics recommends contacting their staff directly for specific pricing. Before an accurate quote can be given, your business’s objectives, website traffic and current conversion rates must be taken into consideration.

OctaChat – #4

1. OctaChat Service

According to their homepage, more than 1000+ businesses in the U.S., Canada, and Australia use OctaChat’s 24/7 managed live chat service. Their agents view themselves as experts at increasing your company’s ROI. They utilize LiveChat, Inc.’s software to serve their clients and their clients’ customers.

2. OctaChat Support

Typically, each OctaChat agent is responsible for managing 3-5 clients at a time. OctaChat does have 24/7 support phone number, but it only leads to a line where an operator is fielding calls and recording callback (or contact back) information. Once a phone inquiry is documented, someone from the OctaChat team will reach out to you as soon as possible. The speed of service may differ if you are already an OctaChat customer, but for the purpose of this article that was the extent of what we could uncover in terms of their support. Upon live chat window inquiry, no information was disclosed. Only the same scenario…a request of contact information and a promise to reach out to the customer within 24-48 hours.

3. OctaChat Features

Google Analytics Integration: OctaChat’s LiveChat software works in conjunction with Google Analytics, so you can track your website and traffic and monitor the conversions that come from your ad campaigns.
Live Call Connect: If your customers decide they prefer to speak with you on the phone, they can still request a real conversation with your staff. An instant live call is just a click away. Octachat agents can connect your customers with you at any time.
Text-to-Chat: OctaChat will assign a dedicated phone number to your company that your customers can use to text you. It will be as if you have a second business phone number. Your customers will then utilize that number to converse directly with OctaChat agents from their native texting app (no internet required). OctaChat recommends adding your new text number to a Google Ads campaign to see even higher conversions.

Co-Chat Option: Your team will still have the option of interacting with your customers via live chat. The duties of chat management can be monitored and shared between your staff and OctaChat’s agents as much or as little as you would like.
Additional Features: Personalized Scripts, Facebook Messenger Chats, CRM Integration, Monthly Reporting

4. Octachat Pricing

OctaChat charges per qualified lead
OctaChat recommends that all of its potential customers begin with a free 14-day trial. During that time period, they will be able to more accurately determine your estimated monthly rate based upon the number of leads they generate for you. OctaChat does not bill for support chats, repeat visitors, spam, or out-of-area inquiries.

GreeChat – #5

1. GreeChat Service

Comprised of an experienced team of agents, GreeChat has a diverse group of clients from large corporations to small businesses. They are a 24/7 global enterprise that works with clients from the U.S., the U.K. and Australia. Their live chat window states that they are powered by chat software from AreaTen.com, but AreaTen.com says their chat window is powered by GreeChat. We got curious and did some googling. Upon further research, we figured out they also use LiveChat, Inc.’s software.

2. GreeChat Support

One characteristic that sets Greechat apart is that they have live chat agents dedicated to specific industries. They have specialized teams that focus on the Real Estate, Automobile, Medical, Education and Legal industries (which could be worth looking into if you fall within one of these categories). However, Greechat’s support seems difficult to gauge. The live chat agent on their website would give out little to no information about the type of support they offer their clients. Their website agent did mention that they do not provide a direct call-for-support option with a GreeChat plan (as seen in the image below). As far as the number of agents dedicated to a plan, their policy is as follows: “Resourcing depends on each client’s requirements. We are flexible and customise our solutions to suit your business.”

3. GreeChat Features

The only feature GreeChat specifically mentions on its website is CRM integration. Since they utilize LiveChat, Inc.’s software, it is safe to assume that they have access to all of LiveChat’s software features. We are just unsure which tools their agents utilize and are trained on.

4. GreeChat Pricing

There was no pricing available or mentioned on GreeChat’s website. An inquiry was placed via the chat window on their website, and they promised to have a representative get in touch as soon as possible.

24/7 Managed Live Chat Service Is A No-Brainer

Regardless of which service you feel fits your needs, you can’t go wrong by adding 24/7 managed live chat service to your business website. 75% of consumers say they would prefer to use live online chat as opposed to calling to speak to someone over the phone. Furthermore, not only are you going to make your customers happy, 51% of them are more likely to make a purchase when your website has live chat. It’s a win-win. So, what are you waiting for?

I thought I would outline the major differences between the two Shopify apps, so that entrepreneurs on Shopify can make an educated decision based on their requirements and plans for their store.

Here’s my breakdown of what separates Spocket from Oberlo, the best dropshippers for shopify, classified into the following categories:

Product Sourcing: What products are available and where do they come from?
Automations: How much of the business you can automate.
Branding and Viability: How the app help in building your brand, and if you can place your trust in it.
Product Deliveries: How long the products take to reach your customer.
Support: How efficient support is when you require assistance.
Pricing: Is the app worth the money?

Let’s dig deeper into this Spocket Shopify review and review of Shopify dropshipping app Oberlo.

Product Sourcing

Oberlo is a Shopify dropshipping app that primarily focuses on products from AliExpress, with a few suppliers that are verified. While this allows for an enormous library of products available to add to your store, the problem that plagues all AliExpress based stores follows one here as well.

Choosing a reliable, trustworthy supplier out of the many available is quite difficult, but if you do manage to find a great product, the low product costs can bring in a number of impulse sales. Quite a few unique products are available as well if one delves deep.

The Oberlo extension, which allows you to add the product directly to your store from AliExpress does make the task easy, but the shipping times and quality are difficult to trust entirely.

Spocket shopify review

The average product quality on Spocket seems to be better- owing to the products being sourced from individually vetted suppliers from around the world. Spocket focuses on local manufacturers, Etsy artisans and distributors rather than AliExpress for the products listed.

The supplier team of Spocket personally goes over a strict procedure for onboarding suppliers with interviews and sampling being a part of the process, which explains the better pictures and products.

Additionally, a huge chunk of Spocket suppliers are based in the US and EU, which might contribute to faster shipping.

Automations

In terms of automations, Spocket and Oberlo mostly allow for the same facilities, which are essential to any dropshipping business. This is not a tie-breaker for either of the apps.

Branding and Viability

As a brand in a crowded marketplace, you need to stand out by cultivating exceptional relationships with your customers.

Both Spocket and Oberlo guarantee that none of the suppliers will add any promotional material, invoices or flyers with the packages that reach your customers.

With Spocket, you get an additional benefit that Oberlo does not provide: along with neutral, generic packaging, suppliers will also attach your store’s invoice to the box- with your store’s name, contact details, your logo and a personal note from you to the customer.

Spocket offers the ability to order samples from the search page and special collections that make it simple to import new products: new features often pop up on the app to help businesses.

Oberlo is an older company, founded in 2015- Spocket is relatively new, just over a year old.

Spocket is rated 4.8 on Shopify, with over 1000 reviews, and more than 20,000 retailers are using the app to scale their businesses.

Oberlo, on the other hand, is rated 4.7, with 2000 reviews: owing to the longer period they have been active.

Product Deliveries

The most common complaint heard about Oberlo products, is the extensive delivery times. With products shipping from abroad, this is a side-effect that cannot be avoided. However, with the age of instant gratification, faster deliveries are a requirement rather than a convenience.

Spocket deliveries are generally faster: their entire USP being the specially selected US/EU suppliers. While the Spocket catalogue is not as vast as Oberlo’s, the products are not found everywhere and ship quicker.

Support

Spocket and Oberlo both have 24/7 customer support, with in-app chat facilities, so that no matter what problem you incur, you receive assistance.

I did find a number of reviews on the Shopify app store praising the support people received from Spocket.

Beyond that, both apps have a well-stocked self-help centre, where you can go through all the frequently asked questions and step-by-step explanations of all processes.

Additionally, Spocket’s Facebook group is quite a helpful community where tips, tricks and educational material is posted regularly, and retailers can have their sites reviewed by experts for free.

The Spocket Blog and the Oberlo blog both post useful content multiple times per week, which provide quite some value to new entrepreneurs.

Pricing

Here is where things truly diverge: Spocket has three plans, with the basic one being entirely free, the Professional Plan costing $39 and the Empire Plan costing $99.

Oberlo, on the other hand, has three plans ranging from free to $79. Though this sounds great, there is one obvious flaw.

While Oberlo does allow 500 products to be imported on the free plan, you are allowed only 50 orders: which boils down to one to two orders per day. Now these 50 orders need not be for Oberlo products to deserve a charge of $29.90. If you have 50 orders on your store, you are required to opt for the higher plan.

What is surprising is that you do not need 500 products to start your store, or have a successful store. Having tons of cheap products are not what bring a store sales. A cap on the number of orders you can make with a plan is quite constricting, on the other hand.

Spocket allows order tracking to all users, which I believe is important for customer satisfaction. Spocket also automatically syncs the tracking number to Shopify, while with Oberlo, you have to manually enter them through Oberlo to the Shopify interface.

One thing that Oberlo offers on its Pro Plan that Spocket does offer is multiple user accounts. The rest of the features are similar across the two apps.

One thing I like about Spocket is that it has a 7-day free trial that allows retailers to test out the monthly plans before they commit to it.

Best dropshipping apps comparison

While both Spocket and Oberlo both hold formidable positions on the Shopify app store, Spocket has quickly covered ground that Oberlo left bare. Oberlo can be used for impulse buy products and a quick buck. Our Spocket dropship review clearly has a winner.

For sustainable business development, Spocket has targeted all the pain points that retailers faced when operating a dropshipping business on Shopify, and has created an experience that is easy, smooth and user-friendly.